News Update: Blizzard slams Europe...California braces for mudslides

PARIS (AP) — European runways are shut down today and traffic on roads is down to a crawl thanks to heavy snow and freezing temperatures. Heavy snow blanketed Paris -- a rare occurrence that's now happened several times in recent weeks in an unusually cold winter. London's Heathrow Airport is not accepting any arrivals and is allowing only a handful of departures.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The National Weather Service says a series of storms swamping California could be the largest system the region has seen in the last decade. Forecasters say southern California will be hit especially hard and officials are preparing for possible mudslides in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

JERUSALEM (AP) — A human rights watchdog is urging the U.S. to slash aid to Israel because of what it calls "blatantly discriminatory practices" against Palestinian development. Human rights watch says Israel systematically stifles the development of Palestinian communities in the West Bank and east Jerusalem while fostering the growth of Jewish settlements on those lands.

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — The U.N. chief says the peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast is staying put despite demands from a defeated president who won't leave office that peacekeepers leave. A statement from a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the mission will "fulfill its mandate and will continue to monitor and document any human rights violations." The statement warns against attacks on peacekeepers.

NEW YORK(AP) — People are reacting strongly to the Senate's repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Advocates for abolition are declaring yesterday's vote a civil rights milestone. Opponents predict the measure will divide and weaken the mightiest military on the planet. Military top brass say it will make services stronger. [link to www.9and10news.com]